Foreword Ellen Futter; Introduction George E. Harlow; 1. What is Diamond? George E. Harlow; 2. Colour in Diamonds Emmanuel Fritsch; 3. The Origins of Diamonds and Their Role in Earth Processes Melissa Kirkley; 4. Diamond Sources and Their Discoveries Alfred A. Levinson; 5. Following the History of Diamonds George E. Harlow; 6. The Regal Diamond: Six Centuries of Diamond Jewelry Diana Scarisbrick; 7. The Moonstone, or the Diamond in Victorian Literature Carole Slade; 8. Diamond Jewelry for Everyone Janet Zapata; 9. Hollywood Loves Diamonds Maura Spiegel; 10. Diamonds for Everyone George E. Harlow; 11. From Earth to Finished Objects: Processing Diamonds George E. Harlow; 12. Diamonds as Gemstones James Shigley and Thomas Moses; 13. Diamonds in Modern Technology: Synthesis and Applications Alan Collins; Notes; Bibliography; List of Contributors; Index.
This richly illustrated tribute to the diamond covers all facets of nature's most coveted gem.
'The Nature of Diamonds is a remarkable book, that is both an
excellent source of information and a satisfying read. It covers
its subject from all facets, starting with the origin of diamonds
in the earth, and covering their discovery, their mining, the
nature of diamonds themselves, their history, the skills of the
diamond cutter, synthetic diamonds, the lure of diamond jewellery
and the lore of diamonds in literature and films. Each chapter is
written by an expert in the field, and the whole has been skilfully
edited by George E. Harlow, curator of gems and minerals at the
American Museum of Natural History … fascinating reading … What I
especially like about The Nature of Diamonds is the breadth of
scholarship that has gone into producing it. Few books bring
together people from such disparate disciplines as chemistry,
physics, commerce, geology, history, literature, design, fashion,
fine arts and the media, and at the same time have them all
intelligible to the specialist and non-specialist alike … There are
few subjects that can unite so many branches of learning between
its covers, and provide interesting reading in all of them. The
Nature of Diamonds has succeeded superbly. Not only that, but it
has the glamour of a coffee-table book with scores of fascinating
illustrations. The authors and publisher are to be congratulated.
It is well referenced and indexed and, despite being a
multi-authored work, it has been admirably edited to ensure that
whether the subject is alluvial mining or the binding of
diamond-encrusted Russian bibles, it is informative and
entertaining. If you cannot afford the real thing, and you want to
give someone you love a jewel of a gift, then buy them this book -
it is a gem.' John Emsley, The Times Higher Education
Supplement
'The story of the discovery and exploitation of diamond is an
extraordinary one as befits an extraordinary mineral … admire the
pictures and enjoy the essays contributed by international experts,
covering virtually everything you want to know about diamonds, from
the history of their discovery to their exploitation in industry,
art and fashion.' Douglas Palmer, The Financial Times
'This book contains just about everything you ever wanted to know
about the hardest natural material on Earth, made of the substance
of life - carbon. From manufacture by meteorite impact to the
allure and efficacy of diamonds as poison and aphrodisiac, this
beautifully illustrated collection of essays is a fascinating
introduction to an extraordinary material.' New Scientist
'If diamonds are a girl's best friend and you can't afford them,
buy her The Nature of Diamonds … It's the next best thing.' Digby
Diehl, Playboy
'… lavishly illustrated and sensibly priced.' Mick Brown, Physics
World
'This beautifully illustrated book, produced by an international
team of experts, will tell you everything you might ever need to
know about diamonds.' Terry Allsop, School Science Review
'This lavishly illustrated book … is very well written and produced
and presents a comprehensive overview of all topics related to
diamond.' Allan Pring, Geological Magazine
'I have already bought a copy of this book and I would recommend
you to do so too.' Jane Randle, The Open University Geological
Society
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